5 easy steps to finished lumber
For most people the only lumber that is available to them is finished lumber. This is lumber that had been planed down to a finished size like 1-1/2" x 3-1/2". This is fine for most people. although the cost is quite a bit more then the alternative, rough lumber. The steps below show you how to take a rough board and use a table saw, thickness planer and jointer to clean up the faces and edges as well as getting it to a size that fits your plans.
Like all things you have to pay more for finished stock as opposed to rough boards. In same cases this can be significant. So it only makes sense to try and get lumber that is rough. This is lumber that is fresh off the mill. It has not been planed to a finished size and the surface isn't smooth like finished lumber.
Step 1: Rough cut your boards
The first step I take to to rough cut the stock to length. The length is a rough dimension. This way I only have to plane the stock I am preparing to use and avoid wasting other stock. I simply use a circular saw and a combination square to make the cuts. The ends do not need to be perfectly square since I will have to trim them to the finished length I need.
Be sure to cut out any loose knot or check from your boards. They can break loose while planning and cause an injury.
Step 2: Truing one face
Analyze the lumber to determine the direction of the
grain and whether there is cupping. It is best to place
the cupped face down since it will sit better on the
jointer table.
Set your jointer to remove only 1/32" at a time. This will make it easier to pass the stock through the cutter and your jointer will not have to work as hard. Keep making passes until the rough surface has been removed and the face is perfectly flat.
Step 3: Square one edge
To make one of the edges square to the face I just planned I set the fence on the jointer so it is exactly 90° to the jointer table. Do not adjust the depth of the cut. In fact I never cut more then 1/32" at a time. Like before, determine which way the grain goes and feed the board so the grain rises out of the edge. Continue to pass the board through the jointer until all rough material has been removed. When you get a nice smooth edge check it with a combination square to see if it is square to the face.
Keep feeding the boards through checking after each pass with a speed square to make sure the edge is square to the first face you planed flat.
Step 4: Rip to the rough width
Now that I have a flat face and one finished edge I can run the boards through my table saw to rip it to the rough width. You want to make this width 1/16"wider then the finished dimension shown on your plans. Set the fence so it is square to the blade and the blade height should be 1/8" higher then the thickness of your stock. Rip the board to width. Now I go back to the jointer and clean up that edge, removing all the saw marks from the table saw and making it 90° to the finished face.
Now your board should have two finished edges parallel to each other plus are square to one face.
Step 5: Planning the other face
The next step is to true the last face and make it parallel to the first and square with the two edges. This is done at the thickness planer.
The thickness planer will plane down this face making it smooth, flat and parallel to the first face. I always measure the stock to determine the thickest point. Sometimes rough cut lumber is not always a consistent thickness. Once I determine this I can set my thickness planer to cut 1/16" off with each pass. Continue to feed the stock through the planer until it reaches the desired thickness for the project. As before make sure the grain is going in the right direction to avoid tear out.
Conclusion:
By following the 5 steps above you will get beautiful square finished lumber at a lower price. This does take some time but the freedom to have dimensions of lumber that aren't available at the lumber store is a nice. Most woodworking plans that you purchase will also have advice on how to complete the plans and what tools work best for making certain cuts.
Always remember to read and follow the directions that come with your power tools. This will provide safety information as well as tips and techniques on how to use the tools more effectively.
